Gristol-Serkonos
Sovereign Empire and Constitutional Union of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos, commonly known as the Sovereign Empire (SE) or Gristol-Serkonos, is a country located in the western Sondria. Located in the continent of Ellada, the country is bordered by Kamchastkia to the north and the Kingdom of Esclare to the east. It was constitutional union between the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos in 1891. The union was a result of the Compromise of 1891 and since then, it has been jointly-ruled by the Royal and Imperial Houses of Felvaron and Esteria. In September 1925, the Compromise was eventually succeeded with of a full constitution which defines the country's political structure today. The Sovereign Empire is a multinational realm comprised of two countries: Gristol and Serkonos. The two countries have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Griswald and Marlenne, respectively. The Crown Territory of Gallovica is not officially part of the Sovereign Empire, as they were dependencies of the Rieshistagi, the central government responsible for defence and international representation. The SE also has several islands in the Periclean Ocean, namely the Ascension and Horizon Group of Islands, are designated as Overseas Territories. Gristol-Serkonos is a developed country, with the 9th largest economy in Sondria by nominal GDP. It is also a nuclear state, possessing an arsenal of nuclear weapons and a technologically-advanced military force. The Sovereign Empire is an observer-state of the former West Sondrian Pact, and a founding member of the Pendragon Pact. In 2015, it left the World Assembly citing the government's intent to be governed by themselves. History Pre-History The Sovereign Empire, for many years, consisted of two states; The Apostolic Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. Both states engaged in periodic warfare over territorial supremacy beginning around 1546. In 1794, the hostilities between the two states erupted into one major conflict called the War of 1794. In January 23, 1794, the Kingdom of Gristol launched an offensive 143 kilometres into the territories of the Empire of Serkonos before being locked in a bitter stalemate. After months of negotiations, a 1796 peace treaty was signed in Griswald after the War of 1794 ended in a stalemate. The treaty removed the absolute powers of the monarchs, forming the first elected parliaments as well as return of territories lost from both sides since the start of the war. Both sides still claim victory, and as a result, it is still the most fiercely-debated among historians of both countries. In 1797, Gristol formally absorbed the Duchy of Carolinthia and its overseas possession Luminaa. Within the same year, Serkonos militarily annexed the Dacian Kingdom, dividing it in two parts; Vâlcea and Piscu Vechi. Unification and the Red Revolution In October 4, 1891, the two sides entered negotiations to unite the two monarchies into a single state. The result was the Compromise of 1891, which merged the two governments; the Diet of Gristol, and the Parliament of Serkonos, into the Rieshistagi (English: Imperial Diet). Included in the Compromise is that the two monarchs will retain their roles as heads of state and their political duties. The unified central government began a massive industrialization project, focusing on shipbuilding and built tens of thousands of kilometres of rail and road. By 1900, the merchant fleet of Gristol-Serkonos is one of the largest in Sondria. At the same year, the new generation of monarchs ascended into the thrones of Gristol and Serkonos. Emperors Harold I Felvaron and Heikki III Esteria followed their predecessors' policy of rapid industrialization and economic growth. The last 20 years of the 19th century was the rise of the national conservatism led by the right-wing party National Coalition of Gristol-Serkonos. It was also the years when the future major parties; the Social Democratic Alliance, Moderate Left, and the Progressive Conservative Party were founded. The Empire experienced turmoil in the early years of the 20th century. General strikes were prevalent on the industrial cities of Hamina, Gristol, Marlenne, and Drăgășani. In 1920, the National Worker's Party and the Communist Party of Gristol-Serkonos and a small fraction of the IGSDF mounted a coup to overthrow the Imperial Government to form the People's Republic of Gristol-Serkonos. This sparked the Red Revolution, hostilities lasted for six months, with the Reds capturing the majority of the industrial cities in the Empire. In January 1921, the Imperial Government prevailed over the communists, benefiting from the leadership of General Valerii Kjellsson. She was also the first woman to hold the head of the military. By January 4th, 1921, the entire country was liberated. In an effort to decentralize some of the power of the central government to the crown-lands, the Rieshistagi drafted the 1925 Imperial Constitution, which grants the crown-lands authority over their relevant area. Their authority, meanwhile can be overruled by the Rieshistagi, therefore making the Empire de jure Unitary. The diarchs signed the Imperial Constitution in March 1925, which coincided the founding of the two devolved legislatures of Gristol and Serkonos. With the signing of the Constitution, the 1891 Compromise was no longer effective. Support for the National Coalition and their coalition partner, the Patriotic People's Front reached its peak in 1938 General Elections, where they won their third and final majority in the Rieshistagi. By the start of the 1950's, the long-ruling National Coalition was now barely holding onto their minority government. The baby booms of the 1930's and 40's has radically changed the demographics. Facing pressure on all sides of the Rieshistagi to end the segregation, the National Coalition government has collapsed following the split in their major partner, the far-right Patriotic People's Front. The following elections sent successive governments under the Social Democratic Alliance. Under their leadership, widespread progressive reforms and the country's adoption of the Nordic System occurred. Social programs such as the National Healthcare System was enacted in 1978, and the National Pension Plan in 1987. The previously isolationist policy has been changed, allowing diplomatic channels to be established with various nations in Sondria and across the World. 1990-Present In 1990, the Progressive Conservatives won the election, following the defeat of the Social Democrats in the general election. Under Lord High Chancellor Anton Lucenne, the country experienced a Thatcherite-like revolution, privatizing a majority of the state-owned corporations in the Empire. The Lucenne Government initiated a radical policy of monetarism, deregulation, particularly of the financial sector and labour markets, and the withdrawal of subsidies to others. This resulted in high unemployment and social unrest, but ultimately also economic growth, particularly in the services sector. In 1994, the economy was assisted by an inflow of substantial Gallarian Sea and Kainuu Oil Sands. -many years later- In 2009, a political crisis triggered a non-confidence vote that resulted in the demise of the Green-Social Democratic coalition government. The replacing Progressive Conservative-led coalition government of Petro Calroni led two governments. In 2014, Calroni was challenged for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative party following his unpopular second term. Calroni was then replaced by Cynthia Valtorum who then led successive majority governments. The Valtorum government also led the formation of the Pendragon Pact. It was under her leadership that the Sovereign Empire joined the War on Jagis and the ongoing conflict between the newly formed Pendragon Pact and several opposing nations. Geography At 2,059,125 km², Gristol-Serkonos is Sondria's 11th largest country. Mount Kaskasatjåkka is the highest peak in Gristol-Serkonos. Located in the continent of Ellada, the country is bordered by the unincorporated territories to the north and east. The country is bordered by the Union of Marquesan States and the Mahdavian-controlled South Bank to the south and southeast respectively through the Gallovican Mandate. Gristol-Serkonos include the Horizon Group of Islands, Ascension and Luminaa Islands. Administrative Divisions There is no consistent system of adminstrative or geographic demarcation across the Sovereign Empire. Each constituent regions in Gristol-Serkonos has their own arrangements. These arrangements pre-date the unification of the Empire and were ensured under the 1925 Constitution. The organisation of the local government of the Kingdom of Gristol is divided into five crown lands, with a wide variation of both size and population. Below the crown lands, some have county and district councils while others have unitary authorities. Councillors on the local council are elected by either the first-past-the-post system or multi-member plurality system. Below the council are the Ridings, which are territorial boundaries in which the citizens within that Riding elect one member for the Gristoli Diet and one for the Consei-Estadi, the lower house of the Rieshistagi. The Capital District Region and Luminaa Island are the responsibility of the Rieshistagi as these two regions have no devolved legislature. The Capital District Region, which consists of Rien-Stadt, C.D.R. and the surrounding Metropolitan Area, are divided into 56 wards each of them electing one City Councilor and one Member of the Consei-Estadi. is a multinational realm consisting of two countries; the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. These two countries is further divided into ten crown lands, four crown territories, and two direct-controlled regions. Largest Cities Politics See also: Rieshistagi Gristol-Serkonos has a parliamentary democracy within the context of a constitutional diarchy consisting of two monarchs. The heads of state are Empress Annika I of the House Felvaron and Emperor Lorei IV of House Esteria. These two Imperial Houses jointly-govern the Sovereign Empire, as well the two countries and their respective Crown Lands. Political participation of the Diarchs in areas of governance is limited. Most of their executive authority is held the High Council of the People, a committee of ministers of the state responsible to the elected Consei-Estadi and chosen and headed by the Lord High Chancellor, the head of government. Despite their constitutional bounds, the Constitution also allows the Diarchs to wield executive authority over the Rieshistagi. Through the Diarchs, they can dissolve the Rieshistagi, pass or veto legislation (if the said legislation violates the Constitution), and dismiss military leaders without government advise. To ensure the stability of government, the Diarchy will usually appoint as Lord High Chancellor the person who is the current leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a plurality in the Consei-Estadi. The leader of the party with the second-most seats becomes the Leader of the Sovereign Empire's Most Loyal Opposition and is part of an adversarial parliamentary system intended to keep the government in check. The legislative arm of the government is the bicameral Rieshistagi (English: Imperial Diet) comprised of two chambers; the upper house Consei-Senati (Council of Senators) and the lower house Consei-Estadi (Council of the State). The members of the Consei-Estadi is democratically elected, with 810 elected representatives, with 626 members elected though the FPTP method and 184 members elected through the PR method. The Consei-Senati consists of 200 senators appointed by the party leaders based on their seats. Members of the Consei-Senati are given an peerage which is effective as long as the Senator is elected. According to the Imperial Constitution, the Consei-Senati does not amend or initiate laws, but to scrutinize the actions of the Consei-Estadi. The Consei-Estadi is the supreme legislative authority of the Empire and is capable of enforcing laws for the two sovereign realms. There is currently 11 parties elected in the Rieshistagi with the Progressive Conservative Party being the largest majority in both chambers. Devolved Administrations The country also has two devolved legislatures, representing the two kingdoms incorporated within Gristol-Serkonos. The authority of the devolved legislatures is limited over their relevant area. Meanwhile the Rieshistagi, the central government of the Sovereign Empire, can overrule sub-national authority, thus the state remains, de jure unitary. Legislation creating devolved parliaments or assemblies can be repealed or amended by central government in the same way as any statute. Each country have their own government or executive, usually led by a High Minister and a devolved unicameral legislature, with an exception for the Capital District Region, Luminaa Island, and the Gallovican Mandate which are considered an autonomous regions under the responsibility of the Rieshistagi. Under the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, the Rieshistagi could, in theory, abolish the Diet of Gristol or the Parliament of Serkonos. In practice, however, it would be politically difficult for the Rieshistagi to abolish devolution to the Diet of Gristol or the Parliament of Serkonos, given the political entrenchment created by referendum decisions. Citizenship and Immigration Gristol-Serkonos received successive waves during the 19th and 20th centuries. They were rapidly assimilated into Gristol-Serkonosean culture. Seeing itself as an inclusive nation with universal values, the Sovereign Empire has always valued and strongly advocated assimilation where immigrants were expected to adhere to Gristol-Serkonosean traditional values and cultural norms. Still to this day, Gristol-Serkonos has retained its assimilationist policy for its immigrants. Law The Sovereign Empire does not have a single legal system. The 1925 Imperial Constitution provided for the continuation of Gristol and Serkonos' separate legal systems. Today, the Sovereign Empire has two distinct systems of law; the Gristol Law, and the Serkonos Law. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Gristol-Serkonos was formed to replace the Supreme Judicial Council of the Consei-Senati. The new Supreme Court is responsible in all matters under the two systems of law in Gristol-Serkonos. It is the court of last resort and the highest appellate court in the Sovereign Empire. It also has jurisdiction to resolve disputes relating to devolution in the Sovereign Empire and concerning the legal powers of the two devolved governments or laws made by the devolved legislatures. Gristol Law, which is based on common-law principles, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in courts, applying statute, precedent and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases (stare decisis). The courts in Gristol are headed by the Senior Courts of Gristol, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the Imperial Civil Court (for civil cases) and the Imperial Criminal Court (for criminal cases). The Serkonos Law is a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases. Foreign Relations Gristol-Serkonos maintains a semi-interventionist foreign policy since 1976 which was known as Diplomacy, Defence, Development. Under the Progressive Conservative government in the 1990's, the Empire began developing relations with western Sondrian countries and begun a push for the seat in the Sondrian Regional Council as well as forming relations beyond Sondria. In July 2014, the Rieshistagi announced the country's candidacy as regional delegate for the region of Sondria. The Sovereign Empire and the Imperial Federation of Crontor is widely considered as an important regional partner by all elected parties, owing, in part, to its contribution to their assistance in the 1920 Red Revolution. Each nation co-operate on military campaigns and exercises as well as jointly-operate Luminaa Island, and are trading partners. In 2014, Gristol-Serkonos has announced intentions to deploy IGSDF personnel in the Crontorian territory in Beblis. In early 2015, the Gristol-Serkonos has withdrawn its forces from Beblis. This followed the Crontorian government's withdrawal of all of its visiting forces in many countries. With the Crontorian withdrawal in Luminaa, the IGSDF also now fully operate the bases. The later half of the 20th century saw major changes in the foreign policy. Following the downfall of the natural governing party until the 1950's, the Sovereign Empire relaxed its anti-communist and anti-republican stance on countries. In 1967, the Sovereign Empire applied for membership in the World Assembly and was successful. Defence The Sovereign Empire's defence is secured by the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Defence Forces, a professional force managed by the Imperial Office of National Defence and is controlled by the Imperial Defence Council, chaired by the Minister of Defence. It is a medium-sized military force comprised of 79.8 million troops focused towards defensive warfare. The IGSDF consists of three professional branches; the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Army, the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Navy, and the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Air Forces. There is also has a volunteer defence militia known as the Imperial Territorial Army. The IGSDF was established following the merger of the Gristoli Militerr and the Armed Forces of Serkonos in 1891. The military was further unified in 1972 with the enactment of the GS 1077: The National Defence Act of 1972. Gristol-Serkonos currently possesses an arsenal of nuclear weapons with its nuclear deterrence policy based on a continuous at-sea deterrent and strategic launch sites in the mainland. The Commander-in-Chief rotates bi-annually between the two monarchs of the Imperial Thrones, currently headed by Emperor Lorei IV Esteria. It is also required by all the members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance to both monarchs of Gristol and Serkonos. Law Enforcement Law enforcement is handled in the national level. There are two national police forces in the Sovereign Empire which are the Imperial Gendarmerie Corps and the Imperial Police Force. These two forces has their own areas of responsibility. The Gendarmerie handling smaller towns, rural areas, and due to its military status, it also fulfills a range of military and defense missions as well as policing the military bases of the IGSDF. The Imperial Police meanwhile is in charge of cities and large towns. These two forces also operate their own specialized forces that act as soldiers in the event of war or security threats, namely the Gendarmerie's 18 Battalion and the Police's Special Tasks Group respectively. These two forces are part of the Imperial Office of Internal Affairs. The existence of two national police forces with similar goals and attributions, but somewhat different zones of activity, has at times created friction or competition between the two. Their merging has sometimes been suggested. Additional security in government buildings and ports of entry are handled by the operating branches of the State Security Agency. (The SSA is also part of Internal Affairs.) Incarceration Prisons are operated and managed by the Office of Correctional Services. There are 51 maximum-security correction facilities in the Sovereign Empire holding 24,000 inmates each. Drug Policy A drug policy was enacted by the Rieshistagi in December 2000, taking effect in January 2002. The new law maintained the status of illegality for using or possessing any drug for personal use without authorization. The offence was changed from a criminal one in 2005, with prison a possible punishment, to an administrative one if the amount possessed was no more than ten days' supply of that substance. Cannabis is exempt to this law, as it is legalized in December 1999. Drug addicts are aggressively targeted with therapy or community service rather than fines or waivers. Even if there are no criminal penalties, the law does not legalize use of drugs (except for cannabis) in Gristol-Serkonos. Possession has remained prohibited by Gristol-Serkonosean law, and criminal penalties are still applied to drug growers, dealers and traffickers. A study was published in 2009 regarding the decriminalization of drugs. Empirical data from that report indicate that decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates. However, drug-related pathologies - such as sexually transmitted diseases and deaths due to drug usage - have decreased dramatically. Amount Limits * 10 g Opium * 2 g Cocaine (Hydrochloride) * 2 g Morphine * 1 g MDMA * 1 g Heroin * 1 g Methadone * 1 g Amphetamine * 0.5 g Pure THC * 0.3 g Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine) * 0.1 g PCP * 500 µg LSD Economy Gristol-Serkonos has a partially regulated market economy and is the 9th largest economy in Sondria. The country currently enjoying a stable, rapidly growing economy with a nominal GDP of GSk 313 Trillion. The services sector dominates the economy, followed by the manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. The Sovereign Empire's economy of the two combined economies of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. The Imperial Office of Finance, led by the Minister of Finance, is responsible for developing and executing the Sovereign Empire government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Imperial Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos is the Sovereign Empire's central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the nation's currency, the Gristol-Serkonosean Krona. Banks in Serkonos and the Gristol retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Bank of Gristol notes in reserve to cover their issue. Since 1997 the Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos's Monetary Committee, headed by the Governor of the Imperial Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos, has been responsible for setting interest rates at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Finance Minister each year. Despite it's relative size against the rest of the eastern Sondrian economies, it is smaller compared to the larger western Sondrian economies. Energy The country is an energy exporter in the region, exporting 12.6 million barrels of oil annually. The largest exporters of energy are the Imperial Oil Company, a statutory corporation, and EssexPetro, a private company. Corporations interested in establishing fuel extraction facilities must meet the government's environmental regulations and use the approved methods in extracting the crude oil. The Empire is also a nuclear energy producer, with over 50 nuclear power facilities across the country. Most of the country's oil production are sold to foreign nations in Sondria's Old World as well as the neighbouring countries in Telraina. The Empire is not dependent on oil for energy production and the recent resurgence of fuel efficient vehicles. Recent government environmental policies includes energy conservation and renewable energy commercialisation. Energy efficiency has been improving since the early 1970s; the government aims to meet the country's electricity demands using 40% renewable sources by 2050. Historically, the Empire was well known for its whale oil-producing industries. During its height in the 1895, the Empire has a whaling fleet of 14,490 ships. The sudden rise of prominence of petroleum-based fuel during the early 20th century saw the decline of whale oil use. Infrastructure and Communications Due to its location in the eastern Sondria and its population density, the country has one of the most sophisticated transportation systems, as well as one of the largest road networks in the region. The country's vast motorway network is known for its lack of speed limits and is among the largest in the region in terms of length. The Sovereign Empire also has a network of high-speed trains. Its Imperial Railway Network connects all of the Empire's cities as well as neighbouring country with its high-speed trains. Its largest airports are Rien-Stadt-Kjellson and Griswald-Felvaron. The Sovereign Empire has a developed and robust internet infrastructure with an average download speed of 1Gb/second with a penetration rate of 98.9%. In high density metropolitan areas such as Rien-Stadt, C.D.R. or Marlenne, VDSL is the most common DSL which allows faster internet speeds. This contrasts greatly in smaller metropolitan areas such as Pietarsaari or Karlskrona where ADSL is the standard. In 2006, 98.7% of all mobile phones have internet access. High speed broadband is provided through a communications network built in 2007 consisting of kilometres of optical fibre networks and satellite-based communications. There are presently four major Internet Service Providers and at least 326 registered minor Internet Service Providers. In major cities, 4G LTE is the most common network technology in the country's wireless broadband network. Many public places and restaurants are mandated by law to provide free WiFi access during business hours. Despite all the measures to advance internet technology in the Sovereign Empire, the incumbent right-wing coalition government is criticized for its restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. This followed the ban on certain websites and social media accounts containing or accused of spreading anti-royalist, republican and far-left ideologies. With the new legislation designed the curb cyberbullying and increase police powers set to take effect this autumn, several backbencher Patriotic People's Front MCEs pushed for a proposal to stamp out anonymity. This proposal however was unanimously rejected by the government and the opposition parties following the first reading. The national flag carrier is RLGS, a public limited company. Automotive Gristol-Serkonos has some of Sondria's best automotive companies, and is regarded as one of the best in the World. The Sovereign Empire's automotive industry produces 7.5 million vehicles annually. Notable manufacturers are Asteria, Lunaterii, Spireos, and Vincenzi. Science and Technology Space and Aeronautical Research Agency Demographics Healthcare Healthcare in Gristol-Serkonos is handled by the devolved legislatures. Each countries has its own system of private and publicly funded health care. Public healthcare is provided to all of the Sovereign Empire's permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. Regulatory bodies are organized on a nationwide basis such as the National Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and non-governmental-based, such as the Royal Colleges. However, political and operational responsibility for healthcare lies with four national executives; healthcare in the Capital District is the responsibility of the Rieshistagi; healthcare in Gristol is the responsibility of the Diet of Gristol; and healthcare in Serkonos is the responsibility of the Serkonosean Parliament. Each healthcare system uses General Practitioners (GPs) to provide primary healthcare and to make referrals to further services as necessary. Hospitals then provide more specialist services, including care for patients with psychiatric illnesses, as well as direct access to Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. Community pharmacies are privately owned but have contracts with the relevant health service to supply prescription drugs. Each public healthcare system also provides free (at the point of service) ambulance services for emergencies, when patients need the specialist transport only available from ambulance crews or when patients are not fit to travel home by public transport. These services are generally supplemented when necessary by the voluntary ambulance services (Imperial Red Cross, and the Saint-Maarten Ambulance Association. In 2011, public expenditure on healthcare was around 8.9 per cent of the Sovereign Empire's gross domestic product. Education Culture The culture of the Gristol-Serkonos has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's conservative policies; its transition to a constitutional democracy; as well as being a political union of two countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. The wider culture of Old World countries in Sondria has also influenced the Sovereign Empire's culture, and Humanism, religion and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture. The power and influence of the aristocracy remains as a major influencing factor in the Empire's politics, with most of its elected politicians with connections to the barons or dukes from their respective constituencies. Citizens are notable for their personal responsibility and their own determination to set their own path. Despite its conservative policies, the country has provided extensive civil rights for the LGBT community. Sexuality Being a country of two nations, the two peoples of the Sovereign Empire have two different views on sexuality. The citizens in the Kingdom of Gristol have an open attitude towards sexuality, with festive celebrations on human sexuality starting several millennia before the formation of the Kingdom itself. Friendships often involve some form of casual sex, and open relationships even between married couples are common. Sexuality is taught in schools at an early age, usually around the Third or Fourth Grades. Due to the openly sexual nature of the Gristoli, all forms of contraception are all part of the health plan enacted by the Diet of Gristol in 1967. Serkonoseans initially take a more conservative approach to sexuality up until late 1891 when the Sovereign Empire united the two nations. Despite the reforms made in the Serkonosean Parliament, sexuality remains one of the taboo. Cinema Cinema in Gristol-Serkonos traces its roots as far as 1878. Music Music is heavily influential in the Sovereign Empire's society, with a rich and varied history. Hundreds of world-famous musicians originated from the cities of the Sovereign Empire. Under Emperors Victor I Felvaron and Olaf V Esteria, they opened the Rien-Stadt Imperial Conservatoire in 1894, which is considered one of the best musical academies in the New World continent of Telraina and Sondria. Several notable composers from Gristol-Serkonos including Thorbjörn Lager and Gijsbert Achterkamp who later composed the Hymn of the Two Swans, the Sovereign Empire's National Anthem, both studied in the Conservatoire in the 19th century. During the late 19th century, operas and concert houses were constructed in nearly every city. During the 20th century, new musical genres emerged following influences from foreign nations. Today, the Empire has a lively contemporary music scene that has produced several world-famous artists of countless different genres. __NEWSECTIONLINK__